Dust Bowl Dance
by LadyLovegood
Summary: All she had ever wanted was freedom…and him. Gannicus/OFC
1. Distant Dreamer

_Summary: All she ever wanted was freedom…and him…Gannicus/OFC_

**Disclaimer**_**: I do not own anything! The characters are not mine. The title of the story was taken from a Mumford and Sons song and the chapter title and lyrics were taken from a Duffy song by the same name.**_

* * *

**Distant Dreamer**_**:**_

_**. . . **_

_Although you think I cope_

_My head is filled with hope of some place other than here _

_Although you think I smile _

_Inside and all the while I'm wondering about my destiny_

_I'm thinking about all the things _

_I'd like to do in my life_

_I'm a dreamer, a distant dreamer_

_Dreaming far away from today_

_. . . _

The hot sun beat down on the marketplace as people pushed past one another, rushing to finish up last minute affairs in the market or hurrying to get to the games. The latter was the more popular of choices and paired with the fact that Batiatus had yet to secure a position in the pulvinus with the higher up individuals, I found myself following closely behind him and Lucretia into a crowd of rowdy commoners.

As we fought to get to the arena, I glanced sideways at Melitta—Lucretia's personal slave—and watched as she gracefully side stepped past a drunken man. For a moment, I felt a stab of jealously as I stared at her for she was perhaps one of the most beautiful women I had seen. She didn't have the fake beauty that the Roman's such as Lucretia had adopted, but she was truly beautiful with her dark tanned skin, her black hair and her brown, golden flecked eyes.

Yes, she was quite beautiful and I was quite jealous. I was, I supposed, pretty, but not beautiful. Instead of having a dark, almost mysterious look to me like Melitta, I was born with fair skin that freckled in the bright Capua sun and blond hair that had caused me much grief in my life for it was not a trait most desired in slaves for the simple fact that many of the Roman women believed that their husbands favored the color due to the popularity of it in the prostitutes that littered the streets and worked in the brothels. My gray eyes, however, was one of the few traits that I did not dislike for they reminded me of my mother, who in my mind ranked above Melitta in beauty.

Unlike myself, my mother's tresses were a silky reddish blond color, her skin was tanned a golden brown by the harsh Capua sun and eyes that were the same bluish-gray of mine. But—unlike mine—they always seemed to have a spark of life in them that shone even brighter when she whispered one of her stories of the land that she hailed from, the Britons whom she called her people and her hopes that she would one day see both of us free. Of course, she never did get to see freedom, never got to see her home lands or the people she called her own, but instead died a slave while bearing her third child—a boy—who did not live to see the sunrise.

I repressed a sigh, reminded myself that Melitta was one of the few friends I had and pushed my jealousy aside, for I refused to lose a friend due to my own ridiculous insecurities. We continued to push through the crowd of commoners—mostly already drunk—before finally making our way into the small, almost shabby, arena. Once inside, Batiatus managed to find—or better yet, steal—a spot in the front where he could get a better view of his gladiators, though not as good of a view as he would have found in the pulvinus where the Magistrates and higher ranking individuals sat. Batiatus was not one of these men even though he was a lanista, his gladiators were some of the better fighters and his father was a very popular and respected man, who many people adored. However, Batiatus was not popular, not respected and did not have a seat in the pulvinus, which had—much to my annoyance—caused him to complain almost without stop the entire day.

"It's so _fucking _hot." He muttered, glancing up at the blazing sun and pulling at the sweat drenched collar of his robe before focusing his attention once more on the pulvinus that had yet to be occupied by the rich merchant Tullius and the Magistrate Sextus.

Sweeping my wet blond hair over one shoulder, I continued to listen to the muttered complaints of my Dominus as I watched two gladiators below angrily slice at one another with their swords. It wasn't much longer until finally the gladiator who hailed from our ludus was bested by young Vettius's gladiator sending Batiatus into a rage.

"No, no, no! Get up, GET UP!" Batiatus screamed in frustration, throwing his hands up in the air. When the realization that his gladiator was not getting up, he muttered "fuck," and turned his back to the sight of the bloodied gladiator in disgust.

I glanced sideways at Melitta as men with hooks came running out into the arena to drag our gladiator from the blood soaked sand and whispered, "Gannicus should be entering at any moment."

Her gaze flickered away from the scene below to glance between Batiatus and Lucretia, ensuring that their own eyes were directed elsewhere before whispering back "Do you wish to have the flesh whipped from your back for not holding your tongue?"

I rolled my eyes at her dramatics before replying, "In all of my years serving as a slave, I have never had the flesh whipped from my back and I have been coming to the games since I was a little girl, whispering to the other slaves about who would win and who would fall."

Her eyes flickered once more to the two she feared would catch us, "It doesn't matter what you used to do; that was a different time and now you are expected to act in a very different manner."

"And why is that?" I asked, my voice taking on a slightly more chilly tone than I had intended.

"You know why."

Of course, I did know exactly why and she knew I did, though she still sighed slowly and added, almost inaudibly, "You serve Quintus Batiatus now. Not his father."

We held each other's gaze for a few seconds more before I broke away and turned my eyes toward Gannicus as he entered into the arena, sending the crowd into a fit of excitement as women tried to gain the handsome gladiators attention by ripping open their bodices to reveal their breast and their menfolk cheered drunkenly for Batiatus' prized gladiator.

His eyes scanned the crowd until they found their way to where Melitta and I stood silently. At first, I actually believed he was staring at me, causing a slight fluttering sensation in my stomach. However, I quickly realized that it wasn't me at all he was staring at, leaving me feeling quite ridiculous at ever believing he would pick me out of the crowd. Instead his eyes were focused on Melitta, who had stiffened slightly beside me and was choosing to ignore his blatant staring by focusing on a spot in the distance.

I would have been a bit more shocked or even upset, if I hadn't already noticed their almost awkward exchanges that had been occurring between them more frequently as of late. Of course, all I had ever witnessed was a glance here and there or an occasional flinching from Melitta whenever he took a hard hit, but nothing more.

As I turned back to the brutal fight below, I came to the conclusion that I was just making more out of shared glances than what was actually there, leaving me feeling slight ashamed that I would think Melitta or Gannicus would do such a thing. After all, they both loved Oenomaus far too much to even think about causing such a betrayal.

My thoughts, however, still lingered on the odd interactions between the two long after Gannicus won his match and I was back at the villa, preparing his rewards for him.

"You must stop this nonsense." I muttered to myself while walking across the dusty training field toward the small building across from the villa, attempting to dodge the training that was in full progress and ignoring the two giggling whores behind me.

Pulling open the door to Gannicus's chamber, I paused for a moment and watched him as he sat on his hard cot, studying the hands that had just won him yet another fight. Suddenly, he lifted his head, met my staring eyes and flashed an arrogant grin.

"Looking quite smug today, aren't you?" I stated, clutching the jug of wine tighter against my chest, hoping that he didn't notice the blush that was creeping up my neck and into my cheeks.

"I am the champion." He reminded me with that arrogant grin still playing on his lips.

"Of this ludus," I reminded with a laugh as I moved further into the room and then, as I place the jug of wine on the small table, added, "and you make it very hard to forget."

"Ah, and what is this?" He asked in mock curiosity, pushing himself off the cot and closing the distance between the two of us.

"You know exactly what this is." I replied, a slight smile forming on my lips, "Dominus was quite pleased with your showing at the games today; therefore, he thought to reward you with your favorites: Wine and women."

With that statement, I motioned for the giggling women standing in the doorway behind me to step further into the room before. Then I bowed my head in silent goodbye and turned to make my leave. However, before I shut the door to his chamber, I paused for the briefest of moments to glance back at Gannicus as he reached for one of the empty headed women and let myself wish for just a second that it was me he was reaching for with that look of lust in his eyes. Then just as quickly as the momentary wish had found its way into my thoughts, it was gone and I pulled the door closed, leaving him to have his fun.

It wasn't long after that, that I found myself in the overly warm kitchen, placing an assortment of fruit in a basket for Lucretia while listening to Diona and Naevia's excited chatter.

"They are taking bets on who will live to receive the mark of the brotherhood." Naevia informed me in a giddy manner as she placed another strawberry in the basket.

"I pray that you are not thinking of participating in their silly games." I stated flatly, glancing up at the excited faces of the two women I had known since we were babes. The three of us had been inseparable while growing up, brought together by the hardships of being the children of slaves and the tragedies that life bore us. We spent our childhoods together, whispering secrets to one another, playing our childish games and dreaming about what our lives would be like when we grew older. But that changed—I changed—after my mother's death as did the friendship we shared. With her death, Naevia and Diona became my family—my sisters. However, I no longer shared in their whispers, laughter, or dreaming after that for I was forced to come to terms with what my life would forever be like as a slave in the house of Batiatus, leading to the slow dissipation of my girlish innocence. An innocence that my two friends still managed to maintain even through all of our years of hardships.

"Of course not, I just thought to inform you and perhaps hear your thoughts."

"On what? Who of the recruits will live? I do not know nor do I care."

"I just thought that because you take such an interest in the games that you would have a better idea of-"

"Unless you are thinking of betting the little you have, I do not see what it matters," I interjected as I glanced up once more from my work. "But if you care so much, then I believe the Syrians will fare well."

"The Syrians? Really?" Melitta asked, catching the last part of the conversation as she stepped into the room, jug of wine in hand.

"You do not think that they will fare well in the test?" I asked, turning my head to look at her before adding, "They are not the best, but when it comes to passing the test and receiving the mark, then I believe they are the safest bet."

"I don't believe that they will do horribly, but what about the new one. The Gaul."

"The Gaul? Really? The man who spends more time on his back than he does wielding his sword?"

"If you remember, Gannicus was much the same when he first arrived." She reminded me, a slight smile on her lips.

I laughed lightly, "Perhaps you're right. I had forgotten for a moment that once upon a time we believed that our beloved Champion would not make it to receive the mark of the brotherhood."

After a few moments of silence, I sighed and stood from the stool I had been occupying. Grabbing the basket of fruit I had been working on, I shoved it into Naevia's hand, "I have spent far too much time and have almost forgotten my duties. We must see to Domina" I stated, ushering the two women out of the room.

Before exiting, I turned once more to Melitta, "Before you go to spend your evening with Oenomaus will you check on Gannicus and ensure that the women I sent…satisfied him?"

She laughed, "Oh, I'm sure they have, but I will check anyhow."

I nodded slowly and mumbled a quick "Thank you," before following after my two friends toward Lucretia's quarters.

I concentrated on their quite, happy chatter as we walked down the dimly lit hallways, attempting to keep my mind from Gannicus and his giggling whores

"What took you so long?" Lucretia asked coldly the moment we stepped into her bedroom.

Bowing my head, I answered "My apologies, Domina. I was asked by Dominus to ensure that Gannicus was rewarded for his victory in the arena today."

She scoffed, but said no more of my tardiness and turned to watch Naevia place the basket on the table in front of her "Where's Melitta." She demanded finally, breaking the silence.

"You gave her the rest of the night to spend with Oenomaus" I reminded, my gaze still directed at my feet.

She sighed "Of course." Then snatched the small, cracked hand mirror from the table and held it out for Diona to take as I stepped forward to pour her wine "So instead I get left with you." I heard her pretend to mutter to herself, knowing full in well that she intended me to hear. I had never been among Lucretia's preferred slaves for numerous reasons, one of the biggest being that she was afraid her husband would soon decide that she would never be able to bare children and turn to me for the task to ensure an heir as so many other men did in their circumstance.

"Where is my husband" She asked after I had handed her the cup of wine I had just finished pouring into the small golden goblet.

"He is still at the market dealing with business matters." I answered, taking a step away from her, placed the jug back on the table and folding my hands in front of me once more.

"Why aren't you with him?" She asked curiously, staring into the mirror that Diona held in front of her.

"He said that he had no need for me there, but to instead come back to the villa and see that Gannicus was properly rewarded."

She rolled her eyes before waving her hand in dismissal, muttering "Just go."

I held in a sigh of relief, bowed my head in farewell, muttered "Domina" and quickly took my leave without a glance back at the two women I left to continue slaving over Lucretia.

Instead of hunting down Batiatus, which should have been my first priority, I wandered around the villa for a long while, checking on the other slaves work, ensuring that Lucretia's friend and guest, Gaia, was properly taken care of, and praying that I wouldn't be forced back in Lucretia's company.

It wasn't until it had grown an inky black outside before Batiatus wandered back from market and sought me out to aid him in things that were too difficult for one of his status to do on his own such as help him undress and the such. After I had seen him safely tucked into bed next to his wife, I headed down to the gladiator quarters where I made sure that everyone was exactly where they were supposed to be.

I wandered down the dark, empty hallway, thinking about all that needed to be done the next day, when the cocky voice rang out from behind me, making me visibly jump "You shouldn't be wandering the halls at this hour."

I spun around to face Gannicus, clutching my chest in hopes to stop the pounding of my heart and muttered, "Neither should you,"

Completely ignoring my reaction to his sneaking up on me, he leaned against the wall of the dimly lit hallway and said, "I heard you were speaking of me to the others."

"Really? I suppose you heard this from Melitta?"

He grinned, "Who else?"

"Do not get a big head, my friend. I was more speaking of the Syrians than of you." I informed him matter-of-factly.

"Ah, so it is one of the Syrians that you have taken a liking to. We have all wondered which of us would finally wet—"

"I have not taken a liking to any of you." I interjected before he could finish his lewd statement. I rolled my eyes at his attempted innocent grin then began down the hallway once more.

I didn't make it far before he began to speak again, following close behind "It's the tall one, isn't it? The one with that fucking ridiculous beard."

I made a noise of disgust in the back of my throat and glared up at him "Really? You honestly believe that he would be the one I would choose out of all of you?"

"Honestly, I always thought you were madly in love with me." He stated with a laugh, playfully draping his arm over my shoulder as we began making our way through the area where the men's cells were.

Most had already let sleep claim them for the night, but there were a few of the gladiators who still sat up bragging about their prowess in the arena and in bed.

My stomach clenched, but I still managed a light laugh at his statement, coming to a stop in front of the Syrians cell "So… no to the stupid looking one?" He asked staring into the cell of men, all of whom had immediately perked up at the sight of a woman.

"Gannicus," I began, the laughter dying in my throat and my voice quickly taking up a tone that was laced with warning.

"Oh, what? There has to be someone in this hell hole that you have wanted to—"

"What does it matter if there is? Even if I wanted to fuck you or the Syrian with this stupid beard, I wouldn't." I said in a low voice, then stomped away from Gannicus and the cells full of staring men and into the hallway that led to the gate that separated the gladiators from the rest of the household.

"So you do admit that you have dreamed of finding yourself in my bed?" Gannicus's amused voice asked close behind me, making me jump once more, and jerk around to glare at him.

"Why can't you ever be serious, Gannicus?"

"Why can't you ever _stop_ being so serious? You have a nice laugh, Enora. It's a shame I don't get to hear it more."

Tears stung the back of my eyes as I stared at the man in front of me. A man who I had been in love with since the day he had first stepped out onto the training grounds with the other gladiators. A man that I doubted would ever feel the same way as I did or look at me in the same manner as he did the other women. I swallowed hard and stated in a thick voice "There is nothing to laugh about here, Gannicus."

I turned away from him for the final time and walked slowly to the gate, unlocked it with the key I kept on a chain around my neck, and walked up the steps toward cramped slave quarters where my worn sleeping mat and the dreams of a life I would never have—one filled with laughter, love and freedom—awaited me…

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Author Note:I would like to I would like to acknowledge that I did change the timeline slightly in that Crixus had not just been purchased, but instead had been at the ludus for, in my mind, about a week, maybe even two. I hope that everyone enjoyed this chapter (as well as the character of Enora) and if you did then you can head over to my livejournal—which you can find the link to in my profile information or by simply searching LadyLovegood on the livejournal website—where I will be giving updates and the such on this story as well as a few others that I am working on. Please R&R!


	2. Galaxy of the Lost

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything. Story title is owned by Mumford & Sons. Chapter title and lyrics are from a Lightspeed Champion song. **

**Galaxy of the Lost**:

**. . . **

_Trapped in bed  
as the poison slowly creeps__  
and stops me dead.  
I should have known  
better than to cave__  
into such fantasies.  
__**. . .**_

Mornings in the House of Batiatus were always the most hectic, especially for Melitta and me. They were always comprised of the two of us running around like madwomen trying to ensure that everyone was where they were supposed to be, doing exactly what was expected. There was food to be prepared, clothing to be laid out, water to be collected for the bath, and many more things that kept the household running and Lucretia from punishing us. After all of that, we rushed to take our positions within Batiatus' bedchamber where we waited patiently for him and his wife to leave their bed for the day.

The morning after the incident with Gannicus was no different save for Naevia's and Diona's constant questioning of why I was late taking to my bed the night before and wondering out loud who I must have been secretly meeting in the late of night. All of which I chose to ignore, not feeling in the mood to rehash every detail of the night before with Gannicus over and over until the two felt completely sure that I had spilled every detail.

"You cannot blame them for being curious, Enora; they are but young girls that are easily excited over the very idea of a man." Melitta stated as we made our way toward the bedchambers of Batiatus.

"I do not understand where any of you got the idea that I was meeting with a man. Perhaps I was simply kept later than usual to tend to Batiauts. May I remind you that he did not return home from wherever he was until long past the sun had fallen in the sky?"

Melitta gave me a knowing smile and replied "I am not denying that Batiatus kept you slightly later than usual. However, I do know that he had taken to his bed long before you took to yours as had all the other slaves."

I sighed "There was no secret meeting. As I was checking to make sure that Ingrid hadn't once more snuck down to the ludus with the intentions of spreading her legs, I just happened to run into Gannicus."

"Gannicus?" She repeated, slowing her pace slightly.

"Yes, Gannicus, and to make a very long story short, our brief meeting ended in him informing me I was far too solemn and me dramatically storming off in tears. Now you know the complete truth. All I ask is that you not tell Naevia and Diona. I am simply in no mood to handle their prodding." I finished as we neared the bedchamber and I reached out to pull the drapes open. However, before my fingers could even brush the silky fabric, Melitta placed her hand on my arm and drew me to stop.

"Gannicus is not the right man for you, Enora." She began once I had turned to face her, a look of confusion marring my features. "All he can think about is the next jug of wine he will drink, the next whore he will lay with, and the next man he will kill in the arena. He will never be a man who falls in love and stays faithful"

I was taken aback for a split second but managed a quick recovery and attempted to feign ignorance. "I am afraid I do not know what you're speaking of."

"Enora, you do not hide your infatuation with him well. I have seen the way you watch him when he is training or when he is in the arena."

My breath got in my throat while my neck and cheeks flushed bright red in both embarrassment and the beginnings of anger.

"You mean the same way you do?" I demanded chillily. I was met with a momentary silence but little change in her demeanor.

"I am afraid that you mistake my friendship with him for something more." She said in such a calm manner that one would think we were talking about the weather outside. She did not get flustered, embarrassed or angry as I had just moments ago at the same accusation, sending a whisper of doubt into my mind. Maybe I was mistaking friendship for something more. Maybe my jealousies were making me believe I was seeing something that wasn't actually there just as they had the previous day. I was beginning to believe more and more as the seconds past that I _was_ mistaking glances and friendly concerns as something more because I wanted there to be a reason for him having rarely given me the time of day. However, I was not yet willing to give up the fight and with all my stubbornness, demanded chillily "Do I really?"

"Yes, Enora, you do and we will not discuss this silly matter any further. Do you understand?"

"Do not speak to me as if I am a child!"

"Then stop acting like one."

The spark of anger that had begun to flicker, bloomed once more in my chest, but before I could act on it in any form, Melitta yanked back the drapes and I was forced to bite my tongue and take my position inside.

We did not speak to each other until late the next evening. Part of this was due to having little time to stop and chat as directly after our fight I left with Batiatus for the marketplace where we spent the remainder of the day while he 'socialized' with those of higher standing in an attempt to secure a spot in the first fight in the new arena. I spent the day sweating in the hot sun that beat down on the market, struggling not to breathe in the stink of the city made worse by the heat, and continued to stew over Melitta's words.

By time we ventured back to the villa, the sun had faded in the sky and challenges had somehow been issued involving Gannicus and one of Vettius' men, meaning that I had to spend the rest of the evening helping him prepare for the big fight the following morning. By prepare, I meant that I stood behind him listening to his complaints, ensured that he didn't forget to eat, ran about fetching various people he wished to talk to about Gannicus, and helped him pick out what he would wear the next day. Compared to many of the other slaves within the walls of our estate, I had what would be considered the easiest job yet by the end of the day I felt completely drained. It wasn't the menial tasks that I partook in day after day that did it to me, or Batiatus' constant ramblings that I was forced to listen to for hours at a time, or even spending my days dodging Lucretia as much as I could, but instead it was having to remember to act like a slave. It was especially exhausting on days when I found my emotions running high because those were the days that I would nearly break. I would catch myself right before a rude retort slipped from my mouth or my face scrunched in a look of disgust directed at the man and woman who claimed ownership over me. On days like these, once I had managed to get Batiatus undressed and into bed, I would practically run to the slave quarters where I promptly passed out, which was exactly what I did when I was finally dismissed for the night, forgetting all about Melitta, and our fight.

With the suns rise, I had gotten over my anger and was left only with a dash of hurt and quite a bit of embarrassment over how I had acted the previous day. However, Melitta and I had still not spoken to one another, partly due to the frenzy that the morning brought, leaving us not a moment to stop and have a chat but mostly due to my own stubbornness. If I had really wanted to speak to her—and if she had wished to do the same—we could have found time. Yet we didn't. Instead, we did our early morning chores separate from one another, we watched the fight between Gannicus and the man that Vettius chose in silence—which was utter torture for me considering how there was to comment on—and then spent the rest of the day and most of the evening avoiding each other as much as possible. Well, I spent the rest of the day and most of the evening attempting to avoid her as well as Naevia and Diona who had moved on from asking me questions on who I was having secret meeting with to pestering me with nonstop questions on why Melitta and I were not speaking to one another.

It wasn't until late that evening as I prepared to bathe that the silence between us was finally broken. I had waited until I knew that the bathing room would be very near empty before entering and then I sat on the hard stone by the pool slowly preparing myself to bathe in hopes that by time I had to take my clothing off that everyone would have found their bed including Melitta and focusing quite hard on ignoring that she was currently ignoring me. However, my hopes did not come true and I soon found myself alone in the room with Melitta who was slowly putting her clothing back on as an awkward, deafening silence filled the room.

Finally, she gathered her belongings and began walking toward the door. As her footsteps echoed through the room, I felt myself beginning to relax, glad that I would have a few moments alone that were not filled with awkward silence.

But then her footsteps came to a halt and there was a moment or two of that horrible silence. "I hurt your feelings and for that I am sorry." She said quietly.

I didn't say anything to her apology for a few moments, instead pretending to concentrate on taking my hair from its braid. Melitta sighed heavily and out of the corner of my eye I could see her shake her head at me before turning to walk away.

"I wish I were as pretty as you. Or Naevia or Diona. Or even Ingrid, for that matter." I said softly, looking up to watch Melitta freeze mid-step.

"Oh, Enora, you are beautiful. If you were not, Lucretia would not be so jealous of you." She ensured me as she rushed to kneel at my side, a sympathetic look crossing her features.

I laughed bitterly, "Oh, please! Her hate for me has nothing to do with beauty but with whether I can carry a child or not. And if I were so beautiful then why doesn't anyone else notice."

"They do notice but you are so focused on him that you can't see it."

"This has nothing to do with Gannicus."

"This has everything to do with Gannicus. I know you do not want to hear this, Enora, but you are innocent and pure and a man like Gannicus will steal that from you without ever blinking an eye. Then all you will be left with is heartache and shame."

"I am not as innocent as you wish to believe."

"No, you are not." She said softly, reaching up to finish unbraiding the hair that I had forgotten about during our conversation. "No slave ever truly is, but in the ways of men you are as innocent as a babe."

She finished undoing my braid and ran her fingers through my freed curls to ensure that no knots remained before pushing herself to her feet. "All I ask is that you remember what falling in love with the wrong man did to your mother. I do not wish to see the same happen to you."

I nodded my head, not trusting myself to speak for fear the tears that I was holding back would begin to fall.

She gave me an almost motherly smile and patted me on the shoulder "I wouldn't linger long. We have a long day tomorrow." Then she was gone, leaving me to finish bathing and finally allow the tears that I had been holding back for so very long finally roll freely.

When my tears had been spent and my body had been washed free of any filth, I took a shaky breath and forced myself to leave the comforting privacy of the overly warm bath with the intentions of heading to my bed.

It was not long before the door to the slave quarters was within view and I knew that I would be forced to step inside, squeeze myself into the warm space between Naevia and Diona, and pretend that I was just fine, that everything was normal as I listened to their whispers in the night. But I wasn't fine. I had not been fine for a very long time and in that moment as I forced myself to take one step after another toward the door I couldn't bear to pretend that I was. So instead of entering the room where my bed and my childhood friends awaited, I veered right and kept walking. I did not stop until I was at the edge of the cliff, surrounded by the warm night air. There was something rather comforting about being right at the edge, staring out at the vast land below.

I could have stood there forever.

I would have stood there forever if Gannicus had not chosen that moment to come crashing out of his room and stumble onto the sand of the training field, singing a crude song at the top of his lungs.

I froze for a moment, not sure whether I should continue standing there or hurry back to the slave quarters before he even realized I was standing there.

I had just made up my mind to race back inside when he twirled around to face me. The song immediately faded away when he caught sight of me and he gifted me with a large grin. "Enora!"

"Gannicus. I believe that you are drunk." I stated, wondering how it was that he always seemed to be drunk whenever I found myself in his presence.

"I believe that you are correct." He laughed, stumbling toward me and closer to the edge of the cliff as wine sloshed over the side of the jug he carried. "Why don't you get drunk with me?"

"I do not hold my drink well I'm afraid." I declined with a shake of the head.

"Even better!" He yelled, shoving the jug in my hand.

"Why don't we get you to your chambers, hmm?"

I was greeted with a wicked little grin "My chambers, huh?"

"Really, Gannicus? I am attempting to keep you as far away from this cliff as possible." I explained, grabbing his large wrist with one hand and trying to keep a grip on the wine slicked jug in the other.

We, somehow, managed to make it across the training grounds and into his chambers without incident.

Once inside the cool, dimly lit chamber, Gannicus pulled away from my grasp and stumbled to his bed. He plopped down on the hard cot and proceeded to watch me as I placed the jug of wine on the small table in the corner of the room through half lidded eyes.

"Tell me, Enora, why are you once more not in your bed? I am beginning to believe it is because you wish to keep running into me."

Wiping my wine slickened hands on my dress, I turned to face him as a smile pulled at one corner of my mouth "Do not flatter yourself, I simply could not sleep."

"What, I wonder, has kept you from your beauty sleep?" He pondered, propping himself up on an elbow.

I swept my hair over one shoulder, wishing that I had thought to braid the still wet tresses before deciding to venture outside "I just…I have a lot on my mind this evening. Mostly thoughts about my mother. I miss her very much. Especially on nights like these when I feel so … alone. I suppose that is the true reason I cannot sleep. I feel very alone. I know it sounds ridiculous considering I sleep in a room full of other slaves every night. I also have Naevia and Diona, but they have always been much closer to one another than to me and do not even attempt to understand what I am feeling. They are too busy gossiping and wondering about the size of your manhood. And then there is Melitta who really does try to understand how I feel, but how would she know? She has Oenomaus. None of them understand how it feels to be just so alone because they all have someone and I have no one. I'm rambling, aren't I? I do that sometimes. It tends to happen when I am nervous. Not that I am nervous… Really, I'm not. I think I will stop speaking now."

He gave me a knowing look, the grin never once slipping from his face, "Do not worry, Enora, I make a lot of women nervous. Some even swoon. Now why don't we go back to that bit about the size of my manhood?"

"I think not…and I would very much appreciate it if you do not mention that I said anything about Naevia and Diona discussing that...part of your body." I managed to choke out, wondering how I had gotten myself into this predicament again, "I do believe that it is time for me to say my goodbyes and leave you to your sleep."

As I turned to make my escape from the small room, his hand shot out and wrapped itself around my wrist, forcing me to stop "Please do not leave."

I bit my lip, "Gannicus, I must—"

"You're right. They all have someone and what do we have? No one. Nothing." He swallowed hard and let my wrist slip out of his grasp "It seems that you and I cannot sleep for much the same reason." He laughed a humorless, bitter laugh.

I didn't know how to reply to his comment so I stayed silent, trying to figure out if I should leave or not. Finally, after a few more seconds of standing there, I let out a breath I didn't realize I had been holding and motioned for him to scoot over on the bed.

"I will stay only until you have fallen asleep and then I must go back to my own quarters before the girls realize I am missing." I informed his as I lay down beside him, and then added quickly, "And I will _not_ be taking off my dress."

"You do not have to take off your dress." He said slowly, but I stayed tense, knowing that he wasn't going to leave it at that. "Do you know what I love about dresses?"

I stayed silent in hopes that he would choose not to continue with what I was betting would be a statement that would make me blush all the way to the tip top of my head.

"I love how easy they make it to fuck." He said with laughter in his voice as he slipped a finger under the hem of my short dress "All that must be done is slip it past the hips and—"

Before he could finish I slapped his hand away and yelped "Gannicus!"

He chuckled and pressed his lips close to my ear. "Calm down, Enora." He whispered huskily, slipping an arm around my waist "I promise I'll be a good boy."

I swallowed hard and hoped he couldn't see the goose bumps his voice in my ear—and the memory of his hand caressing my thigh—had caused to arise on my arms. "Good." I managed to whisper in a quivery voice and then we both fell silent. It wasn't long after that, that his breath evened and I knew that he had fallen asleep with his arm still securely wrapped around my waist and his faced pressed into my wet, tangled hair. I would wait just a few more moments, I told myself, before I forced myself away from his comforting warmth and back to my worn sleeping mat that was shoved between Diona and Naevia. Just a few more moments…

_**. . . **_

_I feel better  
now I've seen you  
but deep inside  
my bones feel like timber  
And I am shaking at the tension  
And I will shudder at the mention._

_**. . . **_

**Author Note: I am sorry that this chapter took so long to post. It ended up being quite a bit longer than I had first intended (and I had a tad bit of writers block at one point) so I hope nobody is too upset with how long it took for me to finish. I really enjoyed writing this chapter and I hope that y'all enjoyed reading it! Please R&R and—once again—thank you to everyone who reviewed the first chapter. **


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